Leave the Broken Pieces
by Cori Shadowfang
Summary: The Keyblade was a myth; there was only one world. That's what Ven was always told, anyways. Then Xehanort came.
1. Apprentice

_So, a new story, and the first series I've written while working on another series. Anyways, for those who haven't read one of my stories before, a word that's _**bolded **_at the start of a paragraph signifies a change in time and/or character perspective. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney, but for the record, I called the time travel thing._

**Chapter One: Apprentice**

"_The Keyblade was a legendary weapon; it was supposed to give great power to those who wielded it."_

"_Was it magic?"_

"_Well, yes, I guess that's one way of looking at it. It could open any lock, even the ones to your heart. It was said that, long ago, there were legendary warriors who could use it. But some of those people weren't very friendly, and used that power for evil."_

_The four-year-old boy looked up at his mother, fear crossing his face. "Will they come after us with it, Mommy?"_

_The woman smiled gently down at him, stroking his locks of blond hair. "Don't worry, Ven; it's just a story."_

_Ven looked slightly relieved, but then asked in a timid voice, "Did the good guys beat them?"_

"_Of course, dear. After all, light will always defeat darkness."_

**Xehanort **needed a vessel.

It was almost disappointing that he had to resort to this. Considering how accomplished he was as a Keyblade Master, he'd believed that he may have the ability to slow his own aging enough to see his plans come to light. Unfortunately, there were limits, even to the power of the Keyblade. After years of research, the only piece of information he'd been able to find was that the Keyblade had the ability to transfer the heart of one person into another's body.

The old man sighed, trying to ignore the feeling of age creeping up on him. The best way to find his vessel would be to take an apprentice. Of course, considering that he had cut ties with his former master and fellow student, he was unsure of how this would be taken.

But he couldn't afford to wait, and thus began his search. "Hmm. Yes, I believe this world will be a good place to start."

"**Ventus, **get back here this instant!"

The eleven-year-old laughed. "No way; you aren't my mom."

The brown-haired woman stopped chasing him, panting and tapping her foot in frustration. He skidded to a halt in alarm, hurrying back. "Hey, you alright?"

She lifted her head and flashed him an evil grin, and he gulped as he realized he'd been tricked. "Oh, no, you don't!" she cried as he tried to sprint away, lashing a hand out and grabbing onto his arm.

"Come on, let go!" Ven tried to break free to no avail, and was instead tugged unwillingly back to the house. He groaned as he was shoved into the bathroom. "I don't want a bath!"

"Too bad; you're getting one."

He sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "Why don't you try acting like my sister for once instead of my mom?"

He could feel her stiffen behind him. "I _am _a mother," she replied slowly, "and you already know why."

Ven flinched. "Right." Unsure of how else to defuse the suddenly tense situation, he stripped and grudgingly lowered himself into the tub of cold water.

"Make sure you're clean by the time I get back!"

"Where are you going?"

"To town."

Ven sighed, sinking down in the tub and blowing bubbles in the water. He heard the door slam, and waited several moments to make sure his sister wasn't coming back. Then he promptly got out of the tub, dried off, redressed, and proceeded to check the rest of the house to make sure his brother-in-law and nephew weren't at home, either. He grinned when he couldn't find any sign of them. "Come on, sis; it's like you don't know me." He looked out the window, eyes wandering across the grass that waved in the slight breeze. _I wonder if I could manage to sneak to town?_ He knew his sister was there, but there was still the temptation that there would be something interesting to do. _Well, it beats sitting around here until she comes back._ He hurried out the door without another thought.

Ven's footsteps carried him along the lonely dirty road. His blue eyes followed a rabbit as it bounced past, stopping to twitch its nose at him before dashing off into the bushes. A broad grin broke his face as he saw the first sign of houses up ahead. Then he hesitated. _If I keep walking on the road, she'll see me for sure._ He diverted off the path, trekking through the grass in a long loop around the outskirts of the town, circling back in behind some of the buildings. He slipped between two into a narrow alleyway, stopping just before the streets to check and make sure his sister was nowhere in sight. With that confirmed, he headed out into the streets.

And almost pushed down someone in the process. "Sorry!" he exclaimed, looking wide-eyed up at the bald man.

"It's fine, my boy."

Ven lifted his head to meet the man's eyes and felt like something cold had slithered down his spine. He'd never seen amber eyes before; they spoke of something strange, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was unnerving, but he found himself unable to move, held by both curiosity and an odd sense of fear.

"Perhaps you can help me."

The old man's words snapped him back to reality, and he shook his head, silently reminding himself that this was just a harmless old man. Besides, he couldn't just refuse to help him. "Sure. What do you need?"

"I'm looking for someone."

"Okay. What do they look like?"

"Well, I'm not sure." That only succeeded in puzzling Ven, which the man seemed to pick up on. "I'm searching for someone who can become my apprentice."

"Apprentice?" Looking over the man, he added, "For what?"

"For something very special." He narrowed his eyes, hands folding behind his back. "Tell me, boy, have you ever dreamed of adventure?" Ven perked up at that statement. "Have you dreamed of becoming a hero the likes of which hasn't been seen since ages past?"

"Wait, are you saying you can teach that to me?"

"Boy, I have seen and learned far more about the worlds than even some of the greatest heroes. But I am old, and would like to pass on my knowledge before I die." He paused before continuing, "Have you ever heard of a weapon called the Keyblade?"

Ven's eyes stretched wide. "It's a myth," he blurted.

"What if I told you it wasn't, and that you could wield one?"

"Ven!"

The angry shout stopped any reply Ven could have managed to think up. His head whipped around to see his sister storming towards him, an angry look on her face. "Uh-oh."

She came to a stop, glaring down at him. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be _home_, taking a _bath_."

"You didn't need to say that, Cora," Ven muttered, rubbing the back of his head a looking away as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, sir, if he was bothering you."

"Not at all. Actually, we were having a very interesting conversation."

"Really?" Cora sounded skeptical.

"Yes. In fact, would you mind if I came with you to your home?"

Cora stiffened. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'd prefer not to let strangers into my house."

The old man seemed unconcerned. "Very well."

Cora eyed him a few moments before latching onto Ven's arm, dragging him away. "Come on, Ven. And when we get back, you're going to take an _actual _bath."

"Wait! Cora!" Ven twisted his head to look over his shoulder at the old man. _He's lying. He can't really use the Keyblade, can he?_

The man's lips twisted into a smile as if he'd heard his thoughts. Dark lightning crackled around his hand before materializing into an odd, blade-like weapon. Ven gaped as the weapon disappeared and the man turned around, walking away as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

**Xehanort **knew he'd made a gamble by summoning his Keyblade in a populated area. Yet the boy had seemed malleable, if not necessarily strong. _But what I need at the moment is someone I can control._ Strength could come later.

There was nothing special about the blond, spikey-haired boy as far as he could tell, but his eyes spoke of a curious and adventurous spirit. And trust. If his reaction was anything to go by, the boy had seen the darkness in his eyes, but had decided to trust him anyways. Foolish on his part, but quite beneficial for the aged master.

As the moon rose high above the town, a faint figure could be seen on the horizon, hurrying forward. Xehanort grinned. _It looks like my gamble has paid off._

"**Come **on, Cora, you don't even know the guy."

"Like you do."

"But he could wield the Keyblade! I _saw_ it!"

"No one can wield the Keyblade. It doesn't exist."

Cora's husband, Draden, sighed, twirling his fork in the air. "Wonderful dinner conversation. How long are you two going to be at this?"

The identical glares they sent his way apparently served to answer.

"I repeat," Cora hissed, slowly turning her burning blue eyes back to her younger brother, "you are _grounded_. You will stay in your room unless called for."

Ven looked down, fingers slowly curling into fists against the wood of the table. "Mom wouldn't have done that. She would've understood."

"Well Mom's not here." Cora's voice was brittle. "I am. Now get to your room."

Ven stood, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked down the hallway and into his room. He pulled the door shut, then walked over to his window and threw it open, resting his hands against the sill and sticking his head out to stare up at the night sky. A light streaking across the dark expanse caught his eye. "A shooting star." If you saw one, it was supposed to mean a big opportunity was going to come to you, right?

Ven glanced at the door. He didn't hear any noise from outside it, so decided to take the risk. He jumped out the window and into the grass, creeping slowly through it until he'd put a good distance between himself and the house. Then he stood and broke into a run.

He was panting by the time the town came into view. _How am I going to find that guy, though?_

He realized as he drew closer that it wouldn't be a problem; the old man was standing in the middle of the street, as if he'd expected him to return all along. "Hello again, boy. I don't believe I caught your name earlier."

"Ventus," he panted. Eying his hand, he added, "You could really do that? Teach me to use the Keyblade?"

"If you want." The man narrowed his amber eyes. "But you have to make that choice."

Ven remembered the shooting star and nodded. "I want to wield it." Then he could prove to his sister he wasn't lying.

The man's smile seemed almost sinister, but he decided it was just the nighttime setting getting to him. Crackling broke the air as the dark lightning concentrated around the elder's hand, forming into the strange blade. He lifted it in front of him, turning it so that the flat of the blade faced him and the hilt was near Ven's face. "Then in your hand, take this blade. So long as you have the makings, then by this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be made."

Ven looked from the Keyblade up to the face of the old man. "Just take it?" he clarified, though his hand was already reaching out for the hilt.

As his fingers closed around it, the man continued, "With time and with careful vigil, then you shall become the key's new vessel."

"Huh?"

A few small sparks of lightning flickered around the blade as the man released it. It was much heavier than Ven expected, and he almost dropped it. He gripped it with both hands, lifting it and laughing slightly with a grin.

The man seemed pleased. "It appears the Keyblade has chosen you, as well. Very good." He retrieved the Keyblade, the weapon disappearing the moment it returned to his hands. "Come along, my apprentice. We have much to do."

"Where are we going?"

"To another world."

"What?" If the statement hadn't been so absurd, it might've stopped him from coming to a complete halt.

The man laughed at his response. "You have much to learn. The first of which is that there is more than one world."

Ven wasn't sure he believed him, but it was simple enough to tell that the elder wished to go far away from the area. "Can't we just train here?"

The strange man sighed. "It is not that simple to wield a weapon of great power such as the Keyblade. There are other places we must go."

Ven chewed his lip, glancing behind him. "But my sister-"

"Will understand, given time." The man paused before adding, "The Keyblade has chosen you, but should you refuse to come with me, you will never be able to wield it. Are you sure you wish to pass up this opportunity?"

He had a point. Ven shifted from foot to foot. "Well, I guess it's okay. Can I let her know where I'm going, though?"

"Will she let you go if you tell her?"

Another good point. Ven tried to ignore his sinking heart.

The man seemed to take his silence as consent. "Then let's go."

Ven followed behind him in silence for a few moments before asking, "So, what's your name?"

"Xehanort," the old man responded. "But for you, I think it'd be best to simply call me 'Master.'"

* * *

_And there! Done with chapter one. I took a few liberties with the whole 'shooting star thing' to help spur Ven onward. And if anyone's wondering, no, this isn't any specific world. Reviews would be great, please?_


	2. Training

_Okay, here's chapter two. Thank you TWI1GHTMAST3R and Rhyme13kh14Xion8 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Two: Training**

"You know, maybe you shouldn't have been so hard on him."

Cora shot Draden a hard glare. "Not punish him for sneaking out? He'll do it more often by that logic."

"Not what I meant," Draden protested. "You could have listened to him about the Keyblader."

She considered checking her hearing; that, or her husband's intelligence. "You don't honestly believe him, do you?"

"Not believing in something doesn't mean it's not real." She gave him a withering look that seemed to prompt him to continue. "Well, even if it turns out to be wrong, you could've at least looked into it."

"Looked into a random old man," Cora muttered, looking to the ceiling. "That'd go well." She sighed. "Alright, I'll go talk to him. But don't expect me to start stalking that guy."

"Who mentioned anything about stalking?"

Cora made it a point to ignore him, instead walking down the hallway to her brother's room. "Ven." No answer. She pushed on the door. "Ven, listen-" Her words died in her throat.

"Cora? Something wrong?"

"I'm going to kill him."

**Ven **swallowed hard as he looked at the swirling mass of darkness in front of him. "We're going in there, Master?"

"Of course," Xehanort rumbled. "It is the primary way that we will travel between worlds."

Ven frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "Master, why do you keep saying 'worlds'? There's only one world."

Xehanort chuckled. "You have a lot to learn." He gestured to the darkness. Ven hesitated for a few moments longer, still eyeing it uncertainly. Then he steeled himself and walked into the purple-and-black embrace.

The minute it touched his skin, he felt cold. He reeled back, trying to back out to the comfortable warmth, but found a hand planted on his back. "Keep going, boy."

Ven glanced back at his Master, then slowly allowed himself to be drawn further into the darkness. His skin prickled as if something was crawling along it, leaving a trail of frozen skin and gooseflesh behind it. His eyes felt strange; no matter how many times he blinked, he always opened them to the same darkness that existed behind his eyelids. This place felt unnatural, dangerous; if it wasn't for the presence of his Master behind him, he would've spun on his heel and fled as fast as he possibly could have.

Then he was suddenly walking through a strange, floorless area, blue and red and symbols slowly pulsing and swirling around him. Instead of feeling comforted, as he'd expected the moment he'd left behind the darkness, the chill remained, and a certain terror ate at him.

He jumped as something sounded in front of him, whipping his head away from his surroundings to stare at where another gout of darkness had appeared. A hand landed on his shoulder, and Xehanort's voice urged him, "Well? Keep moving, boy."

Ven tried to swallow back his fear. As he was gathering his courage, he was abruptly pushed forward. He fell into the darkness, his hands hitting the ground to keep him from falling further. It was as cold as the area around him, but felt oddly soft, malleable, and sticky. No, he decided, sticky wasn't right; rather, it seemed to more like it was trying to hold onto him and pull him down.

He scrambled to his feet and bolted forward at that realization.

The darkness suddenly broke, revealing an expansive landscape of solid brown rock. Ven was so relieved to be free that he sprinted out into the barren landscape, falling to the ground with a sigh of relief and running his hands along the stone. A disapproving noise came from above him. "You're not planning on acting this way every time we use a Corridor of Darkness, are you?"

Ven rolled over and grinned awkwardly at Xehanort. "Well, it's kind of creepy."

Xehanort didn't respond verbally, instead giving him a hard look. Squirming uncomfortably, Ven pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his pants. "So why are we here?"

"To begin your training."

"How?"

Xehanort chuckled. For some reason, the sound produced the same affect the 'Corridor of Darkness' had. Ven brushed it off, chalking it up to a left-over effect of that strange portal. The old man summoned his Keyblade. Ven felt a flash of excitement to replace the doubt that had persisted since leaving. _One day, I'll be able to do that, too._

Then he saw darkness dance around the tip of the weapon. The darkness congealed for a few moments before flying outwards, hitting various points around the area. At each point the darkness formed into what looked like a sphere of the substance, hovering in the air and barely visible in the night. "Defend yourself," Xehanort ordered, snapping his fingers.

No sooner had he given the command did the dark spheres start to converge on the apprentice. "Master?" he questioned, but Xehanort had turned his back to him and was walking away.

Ven backed away as one of the dark spheres drew closer to him. Something ran into his back, causing pain to explode from the point of contact. He stumbled forward towards another one of the spheres. Instinctively he brought up an arm to block it. Pain flared along his arm and he cried out, trying to shift away only to find another sphere waiting for him, striking his side. Panicking he dropped to the ground, rolling away from the spheres. He scrambled to his feet, watching as the hovering balls of darkness changed course, coming towards him again. He ducked away from one, sprinting away, only to find his path blocked by another sphere of darkness. He spun away, ducking as he did so that the sphere flew harmlessly over his back. The action, however, caused him to stumble. One knee skidded across the ground, his fingers clutching at the lose stones to try and slow his movement.

"Don't run, boy. Fight!"

Ven's head shot up as he heard Xehanort's rasping voice bark out a command. "Fight?" he repeated, his voice coming out as more of a squeak. Then his attention was drawn by another sphere and he fell to the ground to try and avoid it.

The sphere slammed down onto his back, causing him to cry out in pain. The pressure lifted, then returned, this time bringing with it a second impact, and then a third. The spheres were all converging on him at once, crashing down on him.

"Alright. That's enough."

As soon as Xehanort spoke the words, the painful strikes against Ven's back stopped. His tensed muscles relaxed, and he panted in relief.

Footsteps drew his attention. Slowly he cracked open his eyes, rolling his head slightly to look up at his Master. Xehanort's eyes were cold. "We will train again later. You cannot continue to run away if you expect to win." The man started to walk away, then paused. "Cure."

Some of the pain in Ven's back lessened, and he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Master."

"You're welcome," the old man responded, though his tone seemed odd.

Ven slowly sat up as Xehanort continued to walk away, absently rubbing his shoulder. He was beginning to have second thoughts about his decision.

**Xehanort **watched through narrowed eyes as his new apprentice dodged away from his spheres of darkness. _Still refusing to fight, _he thought, feeling a spark of frustration. Perhaps he'd made a mistake in choosing the boy. At this point, though, it was too late to change his mind. Besides, he was unwilling to simply give up.

It would be useless, however, if the boy didn't start to gain some fighting instinct. He needed to summon a Keyblade, and for the darkness in his heart to grow. That wasn't going to happen if he simply refused to fight.

A sphere of darkness slammed into Ven, sending him flying. Xehanort held up a hand, and the sphere halted in its tracks, hovering just before the boy. Ven pushed himself up, saw the waiting sphere, and murmured in relief, "Thank you, Master."

_Perhaps I am being too gentle, _Xehanort considered. Deciding it may be worth the risk, he lowered his hand. The sphere rushed forward, causing Ven to yelp in surprise as he was slammed into. Xehanort stopped the sphere again, calling, "Don't assume you've won just because the enemy's stopped attacking."

"G-got it," Ven stammered. "Thanks?"

_He's thanking me again, is he?_ There was still too much light in this boy. Xehanort slashed his hand down, causing the sphere to follow suit and collide with Ven's body. "Don't thank me; prove to me you understand."

Xehanort raised his hand, the sphere following his movement. Then he jerked his hand down. This time Ven rolled away with a yelp. The sphere crashed into the ground, causing a spray of rock and dust. Ven returned to his feet, blue eyes now focused warily on the ball of darkness. Xehanort's grin turned into a grim smile, and he waved his hand. The sphere shot forward, and Ven dodged deftly away. "Very good," Xehanort murmured appreciatively.

Then Ven's legs began to shake, one giving out from under him. Xehanort felt a mild flash of irritation that his apprentice couldn't handle a full training session, but knew better than to push it. He dispelled the spheres of darkness as Ven fell further, planting his hands on the ground to hold himself up. Xehanort walked towards him, hands folding themselves behind his back while his amber eyes examined him carefully. "Cure."

The healing light shown over the boy, healing some of the wounds. Ven looked up at him with a small smile. "Tha-" He seemed to remember what Xehanort had said before and stopped his statement of gratitude, instead giving him a nod.

"It's fine, boy; you may rest."

Xehanort watched as the boy fell to the ground, limbs splaying out across it. He was going to have to be careful. _I need to break his light, _he mused, _but I need to reinforce his trust._ A tricky game to play. "We'll do more training tomorrow. You may rest for the remainder of the day."

Ven smiled and nodded against the ground.

**Ven's **eyes were focused on the horizon as the sun slowly began to rise. _I wonder how sis is doing?_ He folded his arms across his knees, resting his chin on them. _Is she worried by now?_ He was surprised to realize he was already missing the fields of grass and wide forests that dotted his home. He still wasn't entirely sure about other worlds, but this strange place of rocks and dust certainly seemed different enough.

He flinched as he saw rays of sunlight start to creep across the ground. _More training soon._ If he'd realized becoming a Keyblader was so painful, he might not have agreed to it.

Then he shook his head. _Naw, that's crazy! _Sure, the training was hard, but he couldn't pass up the chance to wield a legendary weapon. He'd just have to endure it.

Footsteps echoed behind him, and he looked over his shoulder to see Xehanort approaching. "Are you ready, boy?"

Ven nodded. Xehanort eyed him, then tossed him something. Ven caught it and, after a few moments, realized it was a piece of fruit. "Eat before you begin."

He hadn't even realized how hungry he was. "Thank you, Master," he mumbled around it..

Xehanort waited until he'd finished, then summoned several spheres of darkness. "Now begin."

Ven jumped to his feet, eyeing the spheres warily and swallowing hard. His arms shot up, crossing in an X in front of him, as one of the spheres flew towards him. Remembering a split second later what happened when one of the spheres touched him, he ducked into a roll.

Something slammed into his back, sending a jolt of pain along his spine and causing him to stumble forward, though he managed to keep his footing. He glanced back in time to see another sphere, pulling back before shooting forward again. Ven let out a cry of alarm, his left arm flying to the side to hit back the sphere.

"That's it, boy!" Xehanort crowed. Ven's breath hissed out between his teeth as he held his throbbing arm, his mind screeching, _I'm supposed to fight like THAT?_

He felt something slam into him on the other side, and his right arm shot out instinctively, slamming into the sphere and forcing it away. He tried to back up, to get away, but quickly found himself running into another sphere. He spun around with a cry, but found himself cornered by several more of the hovering balls of darkness.

Panic set in. He flailed wildly, trying to force the spheres away, pain erupting from several points on his body. All he could see was darkness, creeping in around him and trying to close over him. His heart pounded in his ears as he fell to the ground, covering his head with his hands in a desperate attempt to protect it from the attack of the spheres.

Then suddenly they were gone. He rolled to the side, cracking an eye open to see Xehanort standing above him with his Keyblade in one hand. He thought his master said "Very good, boy", but it was hard to tell over the pounding in his ears.

Xehanort's Keyblade disappeared, and he bent down, helping him to sit up. He could feel the pressure of one hand on his back as a wave of healing stretched over him. The pain - all of it this time - disappeared, but he couldn't stop the shaking. He rested his arms on his legs, bending over and lowering his head. He could feel Xehanort's eyes on him for a long moment before the old man said, "That'll be enough for today."

Ven felt a wash of relief, but his shaking hadn't stopped, and his heart was still pounding too hard. He nodded as his master left, silently questioning again whether or not becoming a Keyblader was a wise idea. Then, as earlier, he pushed the thought aside. _Besides, Master wouldn't let anything that would _really _hurt me get to me._

**Xehanort **did his best to hide his elation from his apprentice. The mild guilt he felt at having the spheres attack the boy was overridden by the sight of watching him begin to fight back and, it appeared, the way he could reach the boy's darkness. _Everyone has a form of darkness. It is simply harder to draw it out of some._

For Ventus, it appeared, _fear _was his darkness. So all Xehanort had to do was encourage this fear, all the while masking what actions he took, so that Ven would continue to trust him until he was able to take control of his body.

But not yet. He could do some work, but the boy needed to summon his Keyblade first. And that, it appeared, would take some effort.

* * *

_And that'd be the end of chapter two. Reviews would be great, please?_


	3. Castle

_So here's chapter three. Thank you TWI1IGHTMAST3R and Rhyme13kh14Xion8 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Three: Castle**

Yesterday, Cora had been angry. Today, she was terrified. "Where could he be?" she wondered, wringing her hands.

"We'll keep looking for him," Draden consoled her, gray eyes flickering with the same fear she felt.

Cora, upon seeing his look, straightened. "When I get my hands on him, he's going to wish he was never born."

"Of course."

"He'll be grounded for three months, no, five. And I'm making him clean up around the house. And do the dishes."

"Seems reasonable."

She crossed her arms across her chest, scowling to hide her fear. "He's probably just hiding out in town somewhere, laughing at us like the idiot his is."

"Most likely." Draden hesitated, as if expecting her to say more, then continued, "I'll go and see if he's there now."

When Draden left, Cora felt her mask slip a little, her shoulders drooping and worry flickering in her eyes. _Ven, where could you have gone?_

**Xehanort **emerged from a Corridor of Darkness into a world that seemed overly-bright, flowers and springs mixed with the stone streets and buildings. "Radiant Garden," he muttered. "It has been a while." His eyes shifted up to the castle. Perhaps, he considered, he could find more information in its expansive library.

While considering going to inspect it, he momentarily forgot that he had an apprentice now. _Well, he does need some experience visiting new worlds, _he considered. _Besides, I could use some help._

He opened a Corridor of Darkness, returning to the Bad Lands to fetch his apprentice.

**Ven **tried his best to ignore the homesickness that pinged through his heart. _I wonder how Cora and Daren and Yuruo are doing._ He wrapped his arms around his knees, resting his chin on top. _Are they worried about me? Are they looking for me now?_ Feeling the sting of his new bruises, he winced. _Maybe I shouldn't have come with Master Xehanort, after all._

An odd sound behind him drew his attention. He jumped to attention, looking behind him nervously, only to see Xehanort walking out of a Corridor of Darkness and relax. "Come on, boy; it's time you saw a new world."

"A new world?" Ven repeated. While still not entirely convinced, he figured it'd be enough to get his mind of things. He scrambled to his feet, grinning up at his master. The old man snorted, then turned and opened another Corridor of Darkness. He entered first, obviously expecting Ven to follow.

Remembering the first time he'd entered into one of these strange portals, he hesitated. _I never want to go into one of those things again. But Master will be mad at me if I don't go._ It might be preferable than remaining there and entertaining thoughts of home, anyways. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the darkness.

The same chill hit him as he entered, the tendrils of darkness caressing him with cold fingers. Having fallen and touched the 'ground' of this strange structure once before, he now noticed how yielding it could be under his feet. He instinctively reached out his hands, both to maintain balance and to try and feel his way through the blindness that now encompassed his vision. Of course, there was nothing to be felt, which amplified his fear.

Then he exited into that strange, multi-colored world with its odd symbols. Now with a more solid floor - he ignored how disorienting it was to not be able to see it - he sprinted to where his master was waiting. Another Corridor opened before them, and they entered. Ven latched onto the back of Xehanort's coat.

He felt something grab his wrist, and panicked as his hand was detached from his master. "Master!"

"Keep walking, boy."

Ven calmed slightly upon hearing Xehanort's voice, but still felt his legs hurrying him forward.

A light up ahead illuminated the form of his master, and then they both emerged into bright sunlight. Ven shielded his eyes, though the pain that flashed through them couldn't erase the relief that he felt at finally escaping the darkness. What he saw when his vision adjusted, however, did. "Wow," he breathed, wide eyes taking in the rustic cobblestone streets, the flowers, the springs of water. He dashed forward, skidding to a halt only a few paces later to observe the area in even greater wonder.

"Still don't believe there are multiple worlds, boy?"

Ven turned back to Xehanort, a lopsided grin on his face. The old man seemed oddly disapproving, which made his smile falter slightly. Nevertheless, he responded, "I guess I do now. This is amazing!"

"There's much more to see than this." Xehanort kept his piercing amber gaze focused on him for a few more moments before walking forward. "Come. There is work to be done."

"Work?" Ven repeated, following quickly after him.

"Yes. We did not come here for trivial sight-seeing."

Ven blinked at him, but followed obediently as his master led the way along the cobblestone path. The shape of a castle looming in the distance caught his attention, and he focused his attention there. "Is that where we're going?"

"Yes." There was something odd in Xehanort's voice. "There is much to be learned there."

Ven frowned slightly at the tone, but ignored it, continuing forward without pondering it. His attention was easily drawn by the other sights around him, anyways. _It's so pretty here._ A part of him wished that the rocky, barren landscape in which he trained was similar. Maybe he'd have to take it up with his master.

It seemed like it hardly took any time at all for them to reach a set of stairs that led up to the castle. "Now be ready, boy. If the guards are here, we may have some difficulties getting in."

"Um, Master." As much as he hated to suggest it, "Wouldn't it have been easier to just 'teleport' in there."

"That it would," Xehanort agreed easily, "but there seems to be some sort of barrier around it. I cannot breech the castle walls without going through the front door."

"Oh."

"But it appears we're in luck, boy," Xehanort continued as the two stepped off the stairs and onto a flat, orange-colored floor that led to two massive doors without the guards that Xehanort had speculated might be there. Ven found his shoulders sinking in relief. _If they'd been there, would I have had to fight them?_ He shivered involuntarily at the thought, his chest tightening with a brief flash of fear.

"What are you thinking about?"

He jumped at Xehanort's rough voice, realizing that his master was several paces ahead and staring back at him with burning golden eyes. "N-nothing!" he stammered. "Just happy there aren't any guards."

Xehanort was silent for several moments before rumbling, "I see." He turned around, hands folded behind his back as he walked forward. "Come; we'd best not waste this opportunity, if it pleases you so much."

Ven followed without complaint up to the door, at which point the frowned. "Master, how are we going to get in?"

Xehanort chuckled. "Just watch, boy." He summoned his Keyblade amidst bolts of dark electricity, lifting it and pointing its tip to the lock on the door. A beam of light flashed from the tip to the interior of the lock, a click resounding through the air. As the light faded, the door slowly slid open.

Ven's mouth gaped open before he remembered; _Right, the Keyblade has the power to open locks._

Xehanort seemed amused at his apprentice's awestruck expression, but led the way in without commenting.

The inside of the castle was spacious, pale orange walls stretching up to a shadowed ceiling. The footsteps of Keyblade Master and apprentice were the only things that could be heard for a time. Then Ven broke it by hesitatingly asking, "Master, where are we going?"

Xehanort stopped abruptly, and for a moment Ven thought he did something wrong. Then the old man put a finger to his lips, lifting it from there to his ear. Frowning, Ven stopped to listen, and realized he could hear another pair of footsteps. "We'll need to stay out of their way," Xehanort commented, leading Ven nonchalantly down another hallway. The hallway turned abruptly away; the sharp corner they took would be able to hide them from the view of any who would want them gone.

The thought made Ven hesitate. He almost asked the elderly Keyblader why they were sneaking, but upon remembering the other footsteps, he decided to wait.

Curiosity got the better of him in another regard. He peeked out around the corner, eyes locked on the brightly-lit hallway they'd left. He could hear the footsteps growing louder, but it was a while before he saw their owners: a blond-haired man in a white lab coat and a small gray-haired child, also in a lab coat. They weren't talking, but the elder had the younger's hand grasped in his, and both seemed to be happily eating a stick of ice cream.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump. Whipping around guiltily, he saw Xehanort looking at him with cold amber eyes. "Well? We don't have all day, boy."

"Y-yeah," he agreed in a whisper, glancing furtively back at where the two had been only moments before. _Who were they? Were they master and apprentice, too?_

He realized suddenly that Xehanort was leaving him behind, and hurried to catch him. Staring at the back of his master, he thought, _It's weird; Xehanort doesn't act anything like that to me._ Then he considered the silence, and added, _Well, maybe._

But a part of him realized that the silence between him and Xehanort and the silence between the two castle residents was different, though he couldn't quite place how. Even thought Xehanort brought him food, he'd never shared a treat like _ice cream_ with him. _And truth be told,_ he glanced at the man's white-gloved hand, _I don't think I'd dare hold his hand._

The words were out before he could stop them. "Master, is there something wrong?"

Xehanort stopped so abruptly that Ven nearly ran into him; as it was, he still ended up falling on his backside. "Why would you ask that?" the man wondered, looking back at him.

Under the predatory gleam of the man's eyes, he suddenly felt nervous. Rubbing the back of his head and looking away he stuttered, "W-well, that other guy - well, he was -"

When it was apparent Ven didn't know what to say, Xehanort supplied for him, "You assumed those two were master and apprentice, yes?"

"Uh, yeah."

"It seemed they were more like family. A master and apprentice relationship works differently than that." Xehanort turned away, adding, "Besides, I'll make sure to take care of you. You _will_ be a Keyblader worthy of the weapon."

Ven smiled sheepishly as he pushed himself back to his feet. "Right!" He laughed slightly, rubbing the back of his head. How could he have thought something like that, anyways? He should've known there was more to it. He was sure his master cared about him; after all, he wouldn't be so determined to help him, otherwise.

Right?

**Ven **hadn't attempted to start up a conversation since he'd asked about the man, Ansem, and his young student earlier. Xehanort, oddly, felt relieved by this fact. It wasn't so much because he wished to avoid getting caught; there would be repercussions, to be sure, but they were simple enough to deal with. No, what bothered him was the question the boy had asked.

Mostly because what he'd told him had been a lie.

It was a curious thing, to feel guilty about lying only now, after having been doing it for years. Yet the question had brought back memories of his own apprenticeship; of training with his 'brother' and his fatherly mentor. Ansem and his student did, in fact, represent what an apprentice and master should be.

But Xehanort had no time for that. He had to train his young student to be ready to become his vessel; that wouldn't do if he tried to initiate that 'family feeling' of a normal student-teacher relationship.

_But is he really fit to be my vessel?_ The thought had been nagging him for a while, ever since he'd realized how difficult it would be to foster the darkness in the boy's heart. Perhaps it would be better to train him as a normal apprentice.

As they reached the library, however, a new idea struck him. A cruel grin twisted his lips as he stared up at the large doors. "Master?" Ven asked, his voice halting.

"Hmm?" Broken out of his reverie, he turned to his apprentice.

Nervous curiosity flickered in his blue eyes. "Why did you smile like that?"

"It's nothing, boy; I just realized that this trip may be even more fruitful than I initially thought."

Ven seemed to accept this without much difficulty, a relieved smile crossing his face. "That's good."

He summoned his Keyblade and unlocked the library doors, motioning for Ven to enter ahead of him. As he did, the elderly Keyblader recalled something he'd learned about the Keyblade War and the legendary X-blade itself: _The weapon, the Key that would open the Gate of Kingdom Hearts, was created by the perfect fusion of a heart of pure light, and a heart of pure darkness._

Ven seemed too soft to be an adequate vessel; however, there was still enough darkness in him to be fostered. Perhaps, should he manage to make that darkness grow, and have it unleashed, he could bypass the need for two hearts. _While not the same goal, perhaps I am close to achieving another, more important one._

* * *

_That'd be the end of chapter three. Reviews would be awesome, please?_


	4. Lessons

_Well, it's been a little while since I last updated, hasn't it? Sorry; I've been obsessing over an original story, and it's taken my a while to pull myself away from it to work on this. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out sooner…_

_Thank you xXLiberationXx, TWI1IGHTMAST3R, and Rhyme13kh14Xion8 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Four: Lessons**

Cora stared into the night sky through the window of the house, worry creasing her face. _Ven. Where are you?_

She heard the door open, and immediately whipped around and confronted her husband frantically, "Did you find him? Is he alright?" Then she realized she'd sounded too anxious, and immediately added, "He'd better be, or it won't be worth beating on him."

Draden just gave her a look from sad eyes and shook his head.

She looked away to hide her anxiety. "Idiot. Where has he gone?"

"I looked through the town thoroughly," Draden told her tiredly. "There was no sign of him anywhere."

"Mommy? Daddy?"

The small voice drew the attention of both adults. Yuruo was standing down the hallway, rubbing his eyes while he stared at his parents. Cora was the first to move, heading over to her son and wrapping him in her arms. "What are you doing up so late? Go back to sleep."

"Mommy, when is Uncle Ven coming back?"

Cora stiffened, and behind her, she heard Draden's sharp intake of breath. Quietly, her voice quivering only slightly, she responded, "I don't know."

**Ven **leafed tiredly through a book, his vision blurring. He and Xehanort had been in the library for hours now, searching for information on something that the old man called 'The Keyblade War.' His master had been very vague on the subject, so he still didn't entirely understand what it was about, only that it was a major event in the history of the 'worlds.'

This 'Keyblade Apprentice' thing was proving to be a lot different than he thought it'd be.

Ven exhaled heavily, closing the book and rubbing at his eyes. "Master?" he whispered, deciding to ask a question that'd been bothering him for a while.

"What is it, boy?" Xehanort questioned. Unlike Ven, he seemed to be wide awake and having no trouble focusing on his research.

"Why did we have to sneak in here? Couldn't we have just asked them to let us in?"

"I'm afraid that would not have been possible, boy. You see, there are some here that I have clashed with in the past. It would end badly if we were to anger them."

"Oh." Ven absently wondered who his master could have angered, but decided not to press the matter. Instead his eyes focused on a helmet in the window at the far corner of the room. "Hey, do Keybladers have armor?"

Xehanort was suddenly staring at him with very alert amber eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Ven fidgeted uncomfortably under his master's scrutiny. "Well, I just saw that helmet, and wondered. I mean, Keybladers are kind of like knights, right?" He laughed uncertainly.

Xehanort followed his gaze. "Indeed." He walked over to the helmet, lifting it carefully from its perch and turning it around to examine it. "It appears this is a piece of Keyblade armor from times long passed."

"So Keybladers do have armor?"

"Yes, some do." Slowly Xehanort set the helmet down. "However, armor is not your concern; summoning your Keyblade is."

"But-"

"Come along; I believe we've had enough research for today." Ven frowned, but followed his master as they left the library.

**Xehanort **didn't bother to crush the spark of dark amusement he felt as he saw Ven dash at full speed out of the Corridor of Darkness and back into the rocky, barren landscape of their training ground. "What's the matter? Didn't you like Radiant Garden?"

"Huh? No, it was great!" The blond-haired boy grinned up at him, and he realized belatedly he'd made some form of a joke. "The Corridors of Darkness are just kind of creepy."

_How different from the way I thought._ When he had been a boy, he'd found the darkness comforting, wrapping around him like a warm blanket when the light had been too harsh and judgmental. Strange that his apprentice would be so different from him.

But, regardless, he had to take the boy's mind away from the idea of Keyblade Armor. If he wanted his darkness to grow, then he'd need to make sure he had full contact with the element. "Now, let us return to your training."

He noticed Ven's crestfallen expression. "Now? But it's nighttime."

"If you wish to be a Keyblader, then you must be willing to do whatever task is required, including training whenever your master tells you to."

Ven seemed to quail beneath his gaze before slumping his shoulders tiredly. "Yes, sir."

Xehanort lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. Spheres of darkness came to life around the barren area, floating lazily as Xehanort moved away.

The old master turned back to watch his apprentice in time to see him dash away from one of the spheres. Disapproval lanced through him. "Don't dodge, boy! Fight! You shall never summon your Keyblade otherwise."

Ven spun around to stare at him, a look of alarm painting itself on his face. "What?"

One of the spheres impacted his stomach, throwing the boy backwards with a gasp. Xehanort closed his eyes tiredly. _Perhaps this endeavor is not worth my time._ It seemed it might be more profitable to search for a different apprentice, and return Ventus to the home he so obviously missed.

Yet Xehanort was not a man who would easily give up.

His eyes snapped open to watch as Ven rolled away from another sphere. He exhaled slowly as his apprentice seemed to hesitate, looking as if he were about to dodge to the right for a moment before spinning around to the left, avoiding the sphere by a hairsbreadth. Xehanort felt a spark of interest. _If that were a real opponent, that would've been a feint. Shabby, perhaps, but it may have fooled them._ Unfortunately, Ven hadn't capitalized on the opportunity to counter-attack, and was now back-pedaling away from the spheres. He leaned back to dodge as one neared him, then leaned forward to dodge another. _Well, he's certainly becoming better at dodging. But this will never do._

He dismissed the spheres with an irritated flick of his wrist.

Ven looked over at him with surprised but relieved blue eyes. "Master? Are we done training?"

"No, boy," Xehanort responded, slowly walking towards him, "we are simply doing a different kind of training."

Ven tilted his head to one side. "Different kind?"

Xehanort's Keyblade appeared in his hand with an onset of static. He lifted the weapon above his head. "Defend yourself!"

Ven released a cry of alarm as the weapon flew down towards his head. He ducked into a roll, avoiding the strike and allowing Xehanort's weapon to fall upon the ground and raise a spray of dirt. Xehanort lifted his weapon and turned, unhurried as he pointed the tip of his blade towards his apprentice. He saw alarm flash across the boy's face as electricity collected at a ball on the end, exploding from the tip and racing towards him. Ven spun away on one foot, a small, relieved smile stretching across his face as the magical attack seemed to completely miss him.

Xehanort had a smile of his own stretched across his face for entirely different reasons. The ball of lightning seemed to shudder in the air before taking an illogical turn and flying back towards the blond-haired boy. Ven could only yelp in fear and surprise as the electricity impacted his chest and forced him to stumbled backwards towards the waiting Xehanort. His blade cut through first air, then fabric, then flesh, drawing a jagged line of red that dribbled long stripes of blood.

Ven fell forward with an agonized cry, lying prostrate on the ground. "You'll never summon the Keyblade if you refuse to fight. If you were facing a real opponent, you'd be dead." He waited, expecting his apprentice to rise and nod so they could continue training. Xehanort released an irritable sigh when he didn't, striding forward and nudging him with the tip of his boot. "Get up, boy. It's only a shallow wound."

At that point something nearly imperceptible caught on the edge of his hearing. It was several moments before he realized it sound like crying. Looking down, he saw that Ven was shaking, tears streaking down his half-visible face. "N-no more, Master. Please."

What was this uncomfortable feeling wrenching his gut? Xehanort shook it off, asking coldly, "Do you no longer wish to learn how to wield the Keyblade?"

Ven cracked open a glass blue eye. "Of course I want to learn."

"Then get up."

Ven remained on the ground for a few more moments. Then with a shuddering sigh he pushed himself to his feet. He stared at Xehanort, tears still running down a mournful face and eyes flickering with fear. But he was still standing. It struck Xehanort how young he was. _Hardly out of childhood; in fact, not out of it at all._ He narrowed his eyes, debating. He lifted his Keyblade; Ven flinched, but to his credit didn't run. Xehanort was mildly impressed by that fact. _Perhaps he's not so helpless, after all._ "Curaga."

Ven's blue eyes widened in surprise as the green healing light fell over him. A smile crossed his face. "Master-"

He was cut off as Xehanort hit him across the chest with the flat of his blade. "Don't get distracted, boy." Ven stumbled backwards, but caught himself and nodded. Xehanort struck again with the flat, watching as Ven slid away and contemplating his decision to heal such an insignificant wound. _It wouldn't benefit me to have him hate me. Besides, with his age, he's likely not to have the fortitude to handle a wound like someone a few years older would._ It certainly wasn't because of the odd, uncomfortable twisting in his heart; he'd abandoned that part of himself years ago, when he'd turned his heart to glass.

He lifted his Keyblade and struck at the boy with vehemence he hadn't realized he'd felt.

**Ven **shifted uneasily on the hard ground. He winced, feeling the sting of bruises accumulated from sparring with Xehanort for the past several days. 'Sparring', he supposed, was an operative word, considering the fact that he spent most of his time trying to avoid his master's blows. To his relief, though, the old man had stopped using the sharper edges of his weapon.

Ven rolled over, folding his hands behind his head and staring up at the indigo blanket of the sky, small flecks of light glimmering amidst it. The light blurred, and he rubbed at his eyes to focus them again. The back of his hand came away wet, and he realized he was crying. "Huh? Wh-why am I crying?" He smiled and released a choked laugh, sitting up and rubbing more fiercely at his eyes.

"What's wrong, boy?"

Ven jumped at the sound of Xehanort's voice, looking over his shoulder at the elderly master. There were many things he could say in response to that question; he missed home; he hurt; he was cold, and tired, and hungry; he was lonely. He answered with none of these, however, instead replying, "N-nothing. I'm fine."

Xehanort raised an eyebrow, seeming not to believe him. He didn't press the matter, however, and turned away to leave.

Ven felt a sudden flash of panic at being left alone. "Wait!"

Xehanort stopped, glancing briefly back at him. "Yes? Didn't you say nothing was wrong?"

"Well, yeah, but-" He stopped, uncertain how to proceed. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, asking in a quiet voice, "Um, I was wondering if you could tell me a story?"

Silence stretched between them for a few moments before a harsh sound broke the still air. It was quiet, but in the silence that had proceeded it, it seemed infinitely louder.

Laughter. Xehanort was laughing. "A story?"

Ven's hand and head fell, his eyes downcast. "Just, please?" His voice sounded ridiculously pitiful, even to his own ears.

A raspy sigh escaped the old man. "You really are just a boy, aren't you?" Footsteps crunched against the stone, and even though a part of Ven realized they were coming towards him, he hadn't believed it to be true until he felt a hand land on his head. He looked up against the hand, eyes stretched wide as they stared up at his master. "Very well, but it will be a story that pertains to your training, not some useless fairytale."

If he wasn't so relieved that his master had decided to stay, he would've protested against fairytales being 'useless.' As it was, though, he gasped out, "Thank you, Master."

Xehanort snorted, but whether he was amused or exasperated by Ven's expression of gratitude, he couldn't tell. "I'm sure you've heard stories about the stars; every world seems to have them."

Ven blinked in surprise at the choice of topic but nodded. "Yeah. Mom always told us that they were special. If you saw a shooting star, then something big was about to happen in your life." Ven felt his heart clench as he remembered his mother, but he had little time to dwell on that particular painful memory.

"Perhaps. But the stars are, in fact, other worlds that were created from the fragments of what was once one. The light we see is the light that radiates from the heart of each world."

"Other worlds like Radiant Garden?"

"Yes."

"Master, what did you mean by 'what was once one'?"

"Exactly what I said; there was once only one world." He seemed faintly disappointed by the fact that Ven didn't pick up on this fact, but it was difficult to tell. "Thousands of years ago, so long that it has faded into legend, there was a great battle between Keybladers. That fight destroyed the world as it once was. However, the light was able to restore it, in a sense."

"A fight? But what were they fighting over?" _Is this the 'Keyblade War' you told me about?_

Xehanort remained quiet for so long that Ven wasn't sure he'd answer. Finally, in a voice nearing silence, he answer, "The X-blade."

Ven cocked his head to the side. "Keyblade? But why would they fight over something they already had?"

Xehanort exhaled a heavy sigh. "Perhaps I will explain it to you at some other time." He turned and began to walk away.

Ven scrambled to his feet. "Master!" The old man stopped, his shoulders seeming to sag with another sigh. "What was your apprenticeship like? I mean, what was it like to train with _your _master?"

Xehanort remained peculiarly still. "It's none of your concern."

He left, leaving Ven alone in the darkness. He fell back to the ground, upset with himself for ruining his chance at having any sort of companion for the night. He dragged his knees up to his chest and rested his arms across them, letting the loneliness and fear was over him. _I wish I was home._

Something - something uncomfortable, almost unnoticeably - pulsed in his heart, writhing like a small parasite. He didn't know why, but it made him feel cold like Xehanort's Corridors of Darkness did. He pulled a hand away and gently touched it to his heart, confused. _What is this? Is this something related to the Keyblade?_ It felt unpleasant, but somehow comforting at the same time. He wondered at it, noticing that the more he focused on the odd feeling, the more it faded.

It was only after it had gone that he realized his fear had faded to a bearable ache in the background.

**Xehanort **found that he was having difficulty sleeping. He tapped his fingers against each other, eyes leveled out across the vast expanse of barren rock. He considered going for a walk; the darkness would soothe him, wrapping him in its warm embrace like it had always done. Yet in his heart he knew that it was only a temporary salve.

Much as he hated to admit it, the boy had struck a wound that still seemed to be open. And through prying that wound further apart, he had let in the light of a memory nearly buried:

"_Xehanort, you did well. It took me far longer to manage to summon my Keyblade the first time."_

_Xehanort looked up at his Master, a 'thank you' on his tongue, when Eraqus nudged him, grinning. "Don't think I'm going to fall behind because you summoned your Keyblade first."_

_Xehanort beamed at his friend. "Heh. You'd better not. It'd be boring if I just had the old man to spar with."_

_The 'old man' scoffed in mock offense. "Old man? Pheh. I could take you young ones any day. In my day, kids had more respect."_

"_Master, you're not helping your case."_

"_I'm not? Hmm, what was my case again?" He scratched his chin, his eyes screwed up in thought, but they twinkled with mirth. Xehanort glanced at the younger apprentice, and together all three burst into laughter._

Xehanort found himself shying away from the light. He wanted to forget; to cloak his past in a shroud of darkness. Inside him, he thought he could hear the child he once was wailing, _"Master! I was the oldest; you should've chosen me to succeed you. Why? Didn't I do everything you asked? Wasn't I good enough?"_

Xehanort scoffed at his own weakness, brushing the 'child' aside. _It is foolish to dwell on such things. They have no meaning. Only the future is important._

But the open wound still throbbed in his heart. It reminded him of just how different his relationship with Ven was compared to the one he'd had with his Master and fellow apprentice.

He didn't want it to be the same, though. He was just using the boy. It would do no good for him to get attached to him, or vice-

His thoughts cut off abruptly as he realized that part of the reason he himself reached for the darkness was because his master, someone who had seemed to care for him, had rejected him. A cruel smile twisted his lips. _Perhaps allowing the boy to believe I care would have some benefits after all._

* * *

_And that'd be the end of chapter four. Reviews would be great, please?_


	5. Wind

_Firstly, before we get to the story: Yes, Kingdom Hearts 3 has been announced! Officially, anyways. Even from what little was shown in the trailer, it has me excited that this is going to be epic. The excitement from that announcement is basically what motivated me to hurry up and finish this chapter._

_So thank you Rhyme13kh14Xion8 and KKsaiyancat for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Five: Wind**

Cora rested her head in her hands, her eyes sunken as she stared across the table. It'd been days since Ven had disappeared. Nine, to be exact.

Not that she was keeping track.

She rubbed her eyes. Her tears had long since dried and her heart had ceased its worried pulsing. Now she only felt a numb sense of hopelessness.

The sound of the door opening had her looking at it with a faint flash of hope and a weak smile. Draden was the only one who entered, and his grim expression told her all she needed to know. Her shoulders slumped, and she turned her attention to absently picking at a knot in the wood of the table to distract herself from her thoughts.

Hands rested gently on her shoulders. "Cora."

"We'll find him," she rambled, "he's just hiding somewhere. I'll throttle him when he comes back, I swear."

"Cora. I don't think he's coming back."

"Of course he is. And when he does he's going to be in a world of trouble." She couldn't think otherwise, couldn't even _entertain _the notion that her brother wouldn't-

But she wouldn't think about that.

A heavy sigh sounded behind her. "I think it's time we stopped looking."

"Are you insane?" She whirled around to face her husband, eyes blazing. "He's still out there!"

"We can't look forever. Eventually, we have to throw in the towel." His eyes were sad. "I'm sorry."

Her hands fisted. "You don't know! He's not _your _brother! We should keep looking! We should-"

And then Cora felt her strength wane, and she fell limply into Draden's arms. She didn't sob; she didn't even cry. She just let him hold her while her heart beat painfully against her chest.

"**Get **ready, boy. We're going off to another world."

Ven's eyes widened in surprise at his master's words. "Really?"

"Do you think I would lie to you?"

"No."

"Then we're going to another world. It'll be good to broaden your knowledge." Xehanort turned away, opening up a Corridor of Darkness. Ven swallowed hard as he stared into the depths. Though the thought of exploring another world was exciting, the idea of having to travel through a Corridor of Darkness wasn't. Still, he knew he wouldn't be able to get there otherwise, and Xehanort had already entered. Summoning his courage, he charged into the cold, grasping fingers of the portal.

No matter how many times he traveled through it, he couldn't get over his trepidation. The ground felt unnatural; the air felt cold; the clinging shrouds of darkness felt as if they were pressing too close to him, threatening to smother him. It was a relief to step out of the suffocating darkness into bright sunlight.

His eyes stretched wide in amazement as they traveled over the scene. "Wow." He and Xehanort were standing atop a cliff that overlooked the sea; plant life surrounded them, and the sounds of birds echoed faintly from the forest. He spun, trying to take in all the sights at once, before asking breathlessly, "Where are we?"

"This place is called Neverland." Xehanort headed off down a path. "Come; we have matters to attend to."

Ven scurried after him, his eyes frequently trailing away from his master's back to roam along the rocky cliff side and out across the open expanse of sea. "What are we going to do here?" He stopped short, shrinking away suddenly at the thought of more training.

Xehanort glanced back at him and snorted in amusement. "Not everything about wielding the Keyblade involves fighting."

"Oh." A smile of relief turned his lips, and he hurried after his master again.

Master and apprentice traveled in silence after that, working their way down the cliff onto a larger, more stable platform of land patched with green sprouts of grass that stretched further into what Ven assumed was the island. "It is very quiet here today."

Ven cocked his head at Xehanort's observation. "Is it usually not?"

"On occasion. I thought it would be a good chance for you to observe the inhabitants of another world." He exhaled a gusty sigh. "Perhaps we shall have to move further inland, then."

Ven wasn't about to protest, and followed doggedly behind his master.

The two walked in relative silence, with Ven absorbing as much of the exotic scenery as possible. A few animals squawked from the trees, their beady eyes peering out from the dense foliage. So far, though, Ven had seen no sign of human inhabitants. "Hey, Master. Do humans live here?"

"Yes. But we are not to interact with them."

"Huh? Why not?"

The question had hardly escape his lips when voices reached his ears. Xehanort snorted, answering, "I'll explain to you once we get into hiding."

Hesitating briefly, Ven followed his master into the dense covering of the bushes. He peered out, half-expecting to see people running by. "So, why-?"

"Because we are not meant to disrupt the order of the worlds."

"Um, what?"

"When I first met you, you knew nothing of worlds outside your own, correct?"

"Well, yeah."

"The same can be said for the inhabitants of almost every other world." A flying boy clad in green passed along the path, pausing to look back at his followers: several boys dressed in animal costumes. Ven gaped, wondering how he could learn to fly, while Xehanort lowered his voice and continued. "You see, we look too different from what the inhabitants of this world usually look like. If we didn't, then perhaps we could walk around freely."

"Seems kind of lonely." Ven's blue eyes darkened as he watched the boys laughing, his heart aching with the idea of going out to play with them.

"To some, perhaps."

"Master?" He watched the boys head away, taking the temptation of bursting out of hiding with them, and turned back to the old man. "Why do Keybladers exist?"

Xehanort raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Yeah. I mean, what do we do?" His eyes trailed down to his hands. "If we can't talk to people, I mean."

Xehanort was quiet for such a long time that Ven believed he wouldn't answer. Then he stood, emerging from the bushes with a rustle, gesturing for Ven to follow him. As they walked, Xehanort answered slowly, "Long ago, Keybladers were the protectors of the world. Today, we still hold that tradition, though there are fewer of us in number."

"But how can we protect the worlds if we're not aloud to be seen?"

"You misunderstand; we are not the protectors of the inhabitants of the worlds, but the worlds themselves."

"Huh?"

"We are the keepers of the balance between Light and Darkness. If something happens that upsets that balance, we are to interfere. After all, we are the only ones capable of taking on that mantle." His voice lowered, and an almost-angry expression crossed his face as he added, "But the balance has been stable so long that the Keybladers have grown soft and their numbers dwindled. It makes one wonder why we're needed at all."

Ven shifted uncertainly, somehow aware he wasn't supposed to hear that. "Master?"

"It's nothing. Just the ramblings of an old man." He stopped abruptly, nearly causing Ven to run into him. "Well, I suppose this will be a good opportunity to test your observational skills. Tell me, boy, what do you see?"

Ven peeked out from around his Master, a frown creasing his features. "A big tree that looks hollow."

"And what else?"

"A lot of other trees, but not near the big tree; that ones in an empty clearing." His eyes widened as he realized something. "Actually, it looks like someone's living here."

"Very good." Xehanort gave him an approving nod, causing him to glow with pleasure. "As you gain more experience, you'll also be able to distinguish when copious amounts of darkness and light are in the area."

Ven's eyes widened. "Really? I'll be able to do that?"

"Yes. In fact, some of the more experienced Keybladers can actively sense how much light and darkness is in an area at any given time." His eyes grew shadowed and he whispered, "Just another ability that has slipped out of our grasp." He lifted his voice again before Ven could comment. "Well, you will need to summon your Keyblade before you are ever able to do that."

Ven nodded an assent, feeling slightly downcast at that reminder. "Right."

"Come on, boy; let's continue."

Ven was about to follow his master when a sound reached his ears. He hesitated, looking over his shoulder with a frown. "Is something the matter?"

He glanced back towards Xehanort. "I don't know. I just thought-"

The sound came again, louder this time: a scream. "Someone's in trouble!" Without thinking he raced off towards the source, ignoring Xehanort's angry cries of "Ventus!" behind him.

Ven barreled through the undergrowth, leaves and branches whipping his face as he raced towards where he'd heard the scream. The leafy covering ended abruptly, leaving him to collide into a surprised man. They tumbled to the ground, Ven with a cry and the man with a grunt - and, to his surprise, a high pitched squeak. Ven pushed himself up onto his elbows, eyes widening as he saw what looked like a very young member of the group he'd seen prior sprawled across the ground nearby, whimpering and shaking in his hand-woven skunk suit. "Hey. Are you okay, little guy?" The boy drew further into himself, looking with watery eyes at his unlikely hero.

"Watch where you're going, you brat!"

Ven's head whipped around to stare at the strange man. He gulped when he saw the large muscles and tall stature. The man's lip curled into something resembling a snarl. Ven scrambled to his feet and back-pedaled towards the kid. "S-sorry. I just thought I heard a scream. So, I guess I was wrong?" He offered a half-smile.

The man seemed unimpressed. "Whatever. Just get out of here." He started to move forward. "Come here, kid."

The boy whimpered and clung tightly to Ven's leg. "I don't think he wants to go with you."

"Yeah? Well, tough shit."

Ven backed away, eyeing the man warily while keeping his body between him and the quivering boy. The man's face sank into a deeper scowl. "You going to try and fight me, boy?"

"I-I-" _I don't stand a chance._ Fear tightened its grip around his heart as he stared at the larger, more imposing form. If he fought, he would lose. That was certain. But looking at the child still clinging to his leg, he knew he couldn't just let the man have him.

So he did what he was best at; he picked up the kid and ran.

Shouts resounded behind him, as well as the thundering sound of the large man's footsteps. Ven focused ahead, arms shaking as he tried to support the child's weight. "Don't worry," he panted. "I won't let him get you."

Tiny arms wrapped tightly around his neck as a sign of understanding.

The pounding footfalls hammered in Ven's ears, growing louder as he ran. Panic shot through his veins as he realized that the added weight of the kid in his arms was slowing him down. He gritted his teeth, clinging to the kid stubbornly and willing his legs to go faster.

The trees ended abruptly, and suddenly all he could see was open sky. A gasp tore itself free from Ven's lips as he dug in his heels, trying to prevent himself from going over the edge of the surprise cliff. The action proved in vain; shock slammed into him as he suddenly found himself free-falling without even the presence of mind to scream. The boy in his arms didn't seem to be similarly affected, as a wail erupted from his mouth.

Wind whipped at Ven's clothes and hair, and as he stared up, a distant part of him wondered if they were going to die. Almost without thinking, he turned his body so that his back faced the ground, the trembling kid balanced on his chest. The same trembling wracked his own body, as well as a desperate, almost defiant wish: _I don't want to die._

Something in his heart pulse, and the wish became stronger, more firm. _I don't want to die!_

Light and wind ripped around his right hand at the same moment a cry finally managed to tear itself free.

And then wind spiraled around him, wrapping him in its embrace and tearing apart the water below.

**Xehanort **headed as quickly as he could through the trees, panting as he tried to trace Ventus. _That boy is certainly fast._

A voice drifted back towards him from up ahead; he realized after a moment that it was too old to belong to his apprentice. "Damn. Neither of them would've survived that fall. Swell. Now I'll have to tell the captain I messed up _again._ Curse my rotten luck."

_Fall?_ Something like anger boiled beneath Xehanort's skin as the form of a burly man emerged from the undergrowth. "Who fell?"

The other man stopped abruptly at his unexpected appearance, staring at him for a few moments before frowning. "What's it to you?" He tried to maneuver past him.

A Keyblade was at his throat in an instant. "You're not the brightest boy, are you?"

"C-calm down, old man! They were just some kids, alright?"

Xehanort's grip tightened on the hilt of his weapon. "I see." A gurgled cry bubbled from the pirate's lips as Xehanort's Keyblade bit into the flesh of his throat. Xehanort shook a few flecks of blood from the blade, glancing back at the corpse with cold scrutiny. "Thank you for the information."

He released his Keyblade and made his way through the trampled undergrowth, wondering at his actions. While he certainly wasn't averse to killing, he normally saved it for when it was necessary. _Am I angry?_ No; it seemed foolish that he should be angry over losing the boy. After all, he hadn't even shown signs of summoning his Keyblade yet; he could just as easily find another potential apprentice, perhaps this one suitable to be a vessel.

But he still needed a way to recreate the X-blade. He assumed that was the reason he felt a faint sense of dread as he emerged onto the cliff face and peered over the edge.

His eyes stretched wide at what he saw. Floating in the water was Ventus, a small boy shaking on his chest. Still clutched in his young apprentice's hand, bobbing up and down in the water, was something that looked vaguely similar to-

His Keyblade returned in a flash. "Zero Gravity."

A faint purple ball formed around his apprentice and the shivering boy in the skunk suit, lifting them out of the water and up the cliff face to deposit them safely on solid ground. The younger boy ran off after a cold look from Xehanort, leaving the master to examine his apprentice.

"So. He did summon one."

The Keyblade Ven still held tightly in his grasp was dark gray in coloration, with a dull gold portion to the hilt. The blade curved slightly towards the end, and the teeth almost resembled a wing. The guard and hilt were oddly-styled, and Xehanort couldn't help but feel this weapon would use a different fighting style than most traditional Keyblades.

Ven coughed, blinking open blurry blue eyes. "Master?"

"Yes. It appears you've summoned your Keyblade."

"That's what that was?" The wet boy turned an inquisitive glance towards the weapon in his right hand, a faint smile tugging the corners of his lips. "All I remember is a lot of wind and light before it let me down into the water."

"I see." _Wind and light?_ It appeared he'd have some more teaching to do once he'd gotten his apprentice sufficiently dry. "And tell me, boy, what is the name of your weapon?"

"Huh?"

"Your Keyblade; what is its name?"

Ven looked as if he wanted to protest something for a moment, then stopped, his gaze returning reverently to the newly-attained weapon in his hand. "Wayward Wind."

* * *

_Alright, and there we go. Chapter five is done. Feel free to leave a review!_


	6. Magic

_Here's chapter six. Thank you Rhyme13kh14Xion8, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, and KKsaiyancat for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Six: Magic**

Ten days. Ten days Ven had been gone. Four more until two weeks. Draden had been doing his best to convince Cora to give up looking.

She wouldn't. It was ridiculous to give up on her little brother. What kind of older sibling would she be if she did?

But there was Yuruo. And other issues.

Cora leaned against a wall, resting a hand against her head and trying to control the sudden bout of sadness that choked her. "He's still out there." The words warbled, weak. She steadied herself and said the words more firmly. "He's still out there."

She'd believe it. Even if Draden didn't, even if she had to stop looking and only wait, she'd believe it.

Her little brother would come back.

And there'd be hell to pay if anyone tried to prevent him from doing so.

**Once **Ven had recovered, he couldn't erase the stupid grin that had firmly etched itself onto his face. _I summoned my Keyblade._ And because he liked the sound, he said it aloud. "I summoned my Keyblade." The stupid grin broadened, and he whooped, jumping into the air.

Xehanort looked over at him with a narrowed gaze. "Could you perhaps tone down the juvenile antics?"

"Sorry." That was a lie, though; Ven was too happy to be sorry. He summoned Wayward Wind, staring at its shining blade adoringly.

Something tugged at his heart, and his smile slowly fell. "I wish Cora and Yuruo could see this." With a spurt of hopefulness, he turned, asking, "Master-"

"No. We cannot visit your family." Ven drooped, his Keyblade falling limply by his side. "The life of a Keyblader is an isolated one. But is not the exchange of power worth the sacrifice?"

Ven's lips twisted into a frown. "I guess."

"Good. Then we can get back to training."

An emotion wormed its way into his heart; it took him a moment to place it:

Resentment.

He reeled back from the realization, blinking several times in surprise before hurriedly trying to snuff out the unwanted feeling. _I don't resent Master Xehanort. Why should I? He's teaching me how to use the Keyblade._

"Now, since you've already had a brief exposure, I suppose I should formally introduce you to magic."

Ven perked up. "Magic?"

Xehanort nodded, walking towards him and summoning his Keyblade. Ven flinched, which for some reason seemed to amuse his master. "Now, Keyblade Wielders have different magical affinities. Some are very magic oriented; others hardly use magic at all. Some are good at all types of magic, and others have a specific area they specialize in. From the description of your summoning, and your Keyblade's name, it appears your magical affinity is wind."

"And light."

An odd look glinted in Xehanort's eye as he waved the comment off. "Light most likely is not your main element."

"Why not?"

"Light and darkness are what makes up the heart; they are not easily aligned with." Ven wondered why his master's answer seemed so abrupt and his voice had taken an edge. "Regardless, why should focus on your wind spells." He lifted his Keyblade, barking out, "Aero."

The sand exploded around the old man's feet, a powerful tornado of wind winding up around his body. Ven lifted his arms, peering through them as he braced against the storm. The wind slowly died, dispersing and allowing the sand to return to its resting place on the ground. "Woah. And I'm going to learn how to do that?"

"In time, yes. First, I must teach you how to access your magic."

Ven nodded, sitting down to listen, setting Wayward Wind beside him. He jumped, surprised as wind and light took the Keyblade away. "What happened?"

"Relax, boy. When a Keyblader is no longer in contact with their weapon, they tend to return from whence they came."

"Where's that?"

Xehanort paused, looking thoughtful, a rare confused look crossing his face. "I don't know." He shook his head. "But it does not matter, at the moment." His amber eyes focused on Ven. "Now, those who can use magic have something called 'magical power.' For Keybladers, this power is stored within their Keyblade. The amount, as I said before, will vary depending on the person. Your magic is limited to how much you have. Once it runs dry, you'll have to wait a period of time before it recharges. Thus you must be prudent in its use."

"Um, okay."

"In order to use your magic, you must do two things. First, you must reach for your magic in your Keyblade. Second, you must call a spell to give it form."

"Reach for it?"

"With your heart."

Ven nodded, absently wondering how such a corny-sounding phrase could sound so normal coming from his master's lips. Another thought struck him, and he began hesitantly, "Um, Master?"

"What is it, boy?"

"How come you used magic before without calling a spell?"

"The more experience you gain with magic, the more mastery you have over certain spells. Eventually, some masters can use spells only by thinking what they want to happen."

"Oh." Ven nodded, crossing his arms, though he still wasn't entirely sure he understood.

Xehanort seemed to sense this. "Why don't we put the lesson into practice?"

"Great!"

Xehanort motioned for him to stand, and he obeyed, summoning Wayward Wind again. He tried not to crow in excitement as the weapon settled into his hand. "Let's start with reaching for the magic."

"Right." Ven closed his eyes, a faint frown turning his lips. _Okay, how do I do this, though? Reach with my heart._ Unsure, he tried focusing in on the organ beating in his chest. The rhythmic pounding was comforting, but he was stumped on how to reach with it. He opened his eyes, his frown deepening. "You can't do it."

Xehanort snorted, looking unimpressed. "Were you attempting to reach with the literal heart?"

"Huh?"

"There's more than one type of 'heart', boy."

For a few moments, Ven could only stare at him. Blinking owlishly, he repeated, "Huh?"

"The heart you need to reach with is your core; your light and darkness; your emotions, if you will."

"Reach with my emotions?"

"Or perhaps you are not worthy of the Keyblade?"

Alarm spiked through him, and he shook his head frantically, responding, "N-no! I'm good enough! Watch!" He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. _Reach with my emotions. Reach with my emotions. How do I-_

He cut himself short as he felt something - something deep-seated within his chest, beneath the pulse of the organ that resided there - respond to him. His eyes blinked open at the feeling, and for a moment his vision was spotted with random spurts of white. _It's so light._ A smudge of darkness pooled into the white, and then his vision cleared, leaving only the barren world around him.

A triumphant grin stretched across his face. Closing his eyes, he searched for it again, this time finding the strange entity more easily. This thing, this 'heart', seemed quite willing to stretch out tendrils towards something inside Wayward Wind. "I think I've got it."

"Then call out 'Aero' to release a spell."

"Aero."

He nearly toppled over, startled as wind erupted around him. The typhoon buffeted him, sending grit spinning towards and away from him in a wild flurry. When it died, Ven was disheveled, but triumphant. He turned to his master, expecting praise for the power of his spell.

What he saw instead was cold disapproval. "The execution was sloppy. The control was terrible. Were you attempted to kill both of us?"

This time Ven did fall, his mouth gaping open and closed at Xehanort's statement. "W-what?"

"If you don't execute a spell correctly, then you could lose control of it." Xehanort's eyes glinted. "Do you want that?"

"N-no! Of course not!" Horror and terror flickered through him, and he trembled at the thought. _I could've killed us? By accident?_

"Get up and try again."

Ven swallowed and nodded, standing on uncertain legs. He reached again, biting his lip. _Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up._ "A-Aero."

Hardly any wind stirred the ground, fading away quickly.

Xehanort scoffed at the attempt. "Do you honestly believe that will be enough to help you in a dire situation? I expect more of my apprentice."

"S-sorry." He started to try again, his heart hesitantly reaching for the magic in his Keyblade, but the idea of accidentally killing himself or his master lingered in the back of his mind, and he found himself unable to even utter the spell at all.

"I'm disappointed." Xehanort turned away.

"W-wait! Where are you going?"

"Training is over for the day."

"But-" Ven found he couldn't say anything else, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He stared at the Keyblade in his hand. _I really screwed up, didn't I?_

**Xehanort **smiled to himself as he walked away from his apprentice. _Yes, this'll do._ This would break the boy. The fear of failure, of death, of hurting others; it was perfect. If he gained the strength to overcome it, that fear would prove problematic. After all, Xehanort knew more than anyone that to become strong sometimes you first had to be broken down. However, so long as he continued to succumb to it, it would be a boon to hasten his darkness's growth. And to had to his fear, he could induce resentment; resentment that he wasn't allowed to see his family, resentment that nothing he did was good enough.

_Was I never good enough for you, Master?_

Xehanort stopped, the hands folded behind his back tightening around his arms. He tried to brush the thought aside. _That is past. I have much greater goals now than worrying about the petty disputes of the past._

But his mind still sunk into the memory.

"_But, Master, why?"_

_Xehanort watched as his master sighed, looking tired. "I know you are the older apprentice, Xehanort. But Eraqus has shown himself to be the one more worthy to be my successor."_

_Xehanort stared at the old Keyblader, still not entirely able to comprehend what he was hearing. "But, why?"_

"_Despite his young age, he has wisdom. I believe this will only grow in time."_

_A creeping realization wormed its way into his heart. "You don't trust me."_

"_That's not-"_

"_Just because I'm curious about the darkness."_

_His master stopped, looking at him with his mouth half-open and eyes that flickered with something he couldn't put a name to. Behind the old man, Eraqus shifted guiltily, staring at his shoes._

_Anger boiled in his heart. "Are you so prejudiced that you can't see that my way _might _not be wrong?"_

_His master's eyes hardened. "Darkness is evil, Xehanort. Only those who cling to the light can walk the right path." "But darkness makes up half of the World, too!"_

"_The evil half."_

_The words sent a barb of pain into Xehanort's heart. "Why do you assume that? It doesn't have to be evil! It can be used for good!" Something wet pricked the corner of his burning eyes, and his voice wobbled. "Master. Do you think _I'm _evil?"_

"_No." There was something he wasn't telling him; he could see it in the sad eyes that stared back at him. "But there is so much you don't know yet."_

_Xehanort's fists shook as he looked down. "Xehanort?" Eraqus asked hesitantly._

Traitor. _He closed his eyes, trying not to focus on his emotions. "I'll stay here until I become a Master. Then I'll stop bothering you."_

"_Xehanort-"_

_He left before he could hear the end of his master's sentence._

Xehanort inhaled a shuddering breath, forcing himself back to the present. _And I am doing the same thing to Ventus._ For a moment, the thought made him want to turn around; to hurry back to his apprentice, and assure him he wasn't disappointed in him, that he could learn the skills he needed.

For a very brief moment, all of Xehanort's ambitions faded to the back of his mind, and he thought of what it would be like to be a true master. To train his apprentice in the way of the Keyblade, to guide him, to trust him like his master had not. To watch with pride as he grew into a fine young warrior, and took an apprentice of his own.

He crushed the thoughts. _I've worked too long now to give up on this dream._ Besides, what he was doing now wasn't _exactly _the same as what his master had done.

Was it?

Xehanort scoffed. "I must be growing old," he rumbled, "if I can drift into daydreams so easily." He rambled off, planning ways to force Ven's darkness to grow stronger.

But deep within his heart, a tiny fleck of guilt started to flicker.

* * *

_There's the end of chapter six! Review if you want!_


End file.
